{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/63.2-1709.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/63.2-1709.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/63.2-1709.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/63.2-1709.3.html"}],"law_id":375438,"edition_id":2,"section_id":375438,"structure_id":53382,"section_number":"63.2-1709.3","catch_line":"Child-placing agencies; conscience clause","history":"2012, cc. 690, 715.","full_text":"A\n\nTo the extent allowed by federal law, no private child-placing agency shall be required to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.\n\nB\n\nThe Commissioner shall not deny an application for an initial license or renewal of a license or revoke the license of a private child-placing agency because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.\n\nC\n\nA state or local government entity may not deny a private child-placing agency any grant, contract, or participation in a government program because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.\n\nD\n\nRefusal of a private child-placing agency to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies shall not form the basis of any claim for damages.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1401668,"text":"To the extent allowed by federal law, no private child-placing agency shall be required to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1401669,"text":"The Commissioner shall not deny an application for an initial license or renewal of a license or revoke the license of a private child-placing agency because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1401670,"text":"A state or local government entity may not deny a private child-placing agency any grant, contract, or participation in a government program because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":1401671,"text":"Refusal of a private child-placing agency to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies shall not form the basis of any claim for damages.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C"}},"ancestry":[{"id":53382,"edition_id":2,"name":"General 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This law was first created in 2012. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 690<\/a> and 715<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1499215,"object_type":"law","relational_id":375438,"identifier":"63.2-1709.3","token":"63.2\/IV\/17\/1\/63.2-1709.3","url":"\/63.2-1709.3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/63.2-1709.3\/","token":"63.2\/IV\/17\/1\/63.2-1709.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Child-placing agencies; conscience clause","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 63.2-1709.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> To the extent allowed by federal law<\/span>, no private child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> shall be required to perform, assist, counsel<\/span>, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in any placement of a child<\/span> for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral convictions<\/span> or policies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Commissioner<\/span> shall not deny an application for an initial license or renewal of a license or revoke the license of a private child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions<\/span> or policies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A state or local government entity may not deny a private child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> any grant, contract<\/span>, or participation in a government program because of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions<\/span> or policies. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Refusal of a private child<\/span>-placing agency<\/span> to perform, assist, counsel<\/span>, recommend, consent to, refer, or participate in a placement that violates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions<\/span> or policies shall not form the basis of any claim for damages<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCHILD-PLACING AGENCIES; CONSCIENCE CLAUSE (\u00a7 63.2-1709.3)\n\nA. To the extent allowed by federal law, no private child-placing agency shall\nbe required to perform, assist, counsel, recommend, consent to, refer, or\nparticipate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the\nproposed placement would violate the agency’s written religious or moral\nconvictions or policies.\n\nB. The Commissioner shall not deny an application for an initial license or\nrenewal of a license or revoke the license of a private child-placing agency\nbecause of the agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling,\nrecommending, consenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that\nviolates the agency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.\n\nC. A state or local government entity may not deny a private child-placing\nagency any grant, contract, or participation in a government program because of\nthe agency’s objection to performing, assisting, counseling, recommending,\nconsenting to, referring, or participating in a placement that violates the\nagency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies.\n\nD. Refusal of a private child-placing agency to perform, assist, counsel,\nrecommend, consent to, refer, or participate in a placement that violates the\nagency’s written religious or moral convictions or policies shall not form\nthe basis of any claim for damages.\n\nHISTORY: 2012, cc. 690, 715.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}